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Hey there! Welcome to my site. My name is Cooper and I’m originally from Winter Haven, Florida, later moving to Memphis, Tennessee where I attended high school. My grandmother and father were world-renowned water skiers so I come from a heavily athletic background. Additionally, my sister and I grew up constantly being encouraged to excel in whatever sport or activity we were pursuing at the time. Among those sports was gymnastics, which I began from the ripe age of four. My rapidly increasing love of movement, combined with my sister’s involvement in competition dance, fused together, left me with a drive and passion for performance art.
The first musical I ever auditioned for was Jekyll and Hyde my sophomore year of high school. I was cast as Spider, the violent pimp who owned the local prostitution house. Boom! I fell in love and never turned back. One of my favorite things about performing is the community aspect it brings. With every show you experience a whole new group of people, talent, artistry, and dynamics that are so addicting. I decided to attend upper level education at Oklahoma City University to target my vocal training to round out my bag of tricks, which proved to be such a challenging and rewarding decision. I’ve learned so much from choreographing entire musicals, swinging in for a main stage production, and even how to be in a fraternity while living your gay truth!
As I’ve made my way through the performance world, I’ve come to find that one of my favorite nuances of theatre is swing work. Swings are able to capture a show from so many different viewpoints and characters, and it ingrains a story in your mind, soul, and body, so much more than performing the same role every performance. As I continue on my journey, I aim to navigate this electrifying career, finding new ways to tell stories and finding new joys through performance art. I owe my developing passions to my family and friends who have inspired and encouraged me along the way! Go stars and shoutout to my Big Apple Boys.
-Cooper Clack